Nestled within a mass of scaffolding sits a perfect cube containing a neat, modern studio flat. Man (Jonjo O'Niell) and Woman (Sharon Duncan-Brewster) enter the apartment and immediately and nonchalantly address the audience. Chris Thorpe's text on the connections we unwittingly share with others around the world is dense and chopped up to follow two stories running along side one another. With romantic, personal content combined with celestial, apocalyptic undertones, the monologues are confusing yet oddly intriguing. Parts of the text are crystal clear and impress with visceral imagery, whilst others are difficult to grasp. In a way not dissimilar to sleep-talking, the text falls from the performers' mouths in a matter of fact, dream-like way, with little emotion. Directed by Vicky Featherstone, the actors move through the every day actions of a couple co-inhabiting their home; unpacking from a holiday, ordering pizza and playing video games. They step around each other and appear to be moving along side one another in parallel universes. With a stark contrast between the naturalistic movement and stylised vocals, it is difficult to wholly follow one or the other, do I watch them play Skyrim or focus my attention towards the jam-packed text?
Often replicating a real-life setting can be the most difficult thing to imitate, but the set, designed by Chloe Lamford, is fantastically normal. The detail is immaculate with all the home comforts and trimmings of a typical, middle-class couple living in London. It feels as though the piece is in an R&D state with potential to be politically relevant, yet a lack of clarity of who, what, where and why the characters are and why we should care about them prevent the piece from feeling whole. - Faye Butler
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Yangson Project, South Korea’s rising stars, combine physical theatre, visceral sound and spoken word to tell their adaptation of Factory Girls, originally written in 1931 by Chin-O Yu. Produced by Farnham Maltings, this is Yangson Project’s first UK tour, after touring widely in South Korea, China and France.
Set when Korea were under the Japanese rule in the 1930’s, the play follows Oksun, an 18-year-old girl working in a textile factory amidst the Korean industrial boom. The factory girls are terrified their pay is going to be cut again by their Japanese director, Tanaka. Tanaka targets Oksun, whose father is unwell and cannot support the family, and gives her a bonus on the condition that she betrays her friend. Oksun finds that the factory girls are deliberating about the repressive conditions and want to unite the factory girls for a labour strike. With a bare stage, we follow a series of physical motifs that represent the hard work endured in an eleven-and-a-half-hourday in the factory. The cast’s unison and eloquence is effortless to watch. One of the most memorable motif’s is their lunchtime, with an uncouth assortment of consumption sounds, a time where the gossip spreads but their freedom is still restricted. Upon telling Tanaka of the factory girl’s conversation, Oksun is unfairly overpowered by her Japanese director. This physical motif is followed with a vicious mantra of “insert, spin, pull” but this time cleverly used to exemplify Tanaka’s horrifying actions in sexually abusing, young girl, Oksun. A beautifully elegant, yet heart-breaking performance from Oksun follows. It is impossible to take your eyes off her every move as we follow her body through the pain. Yangson Project’s strong ensemble bring the words of the play to life; their use of narrative acting is almost poetic, matching their rhythmic style. The moments of storytelling enhance our understanding of the feelings behind each character. The cast captures the play’s humanity perfectly. Although Factory Girls is very particular to a place and time, a place that I did not know much of, we resonate with the girls as if we know the same. Factory Girls has been skilfully crafted together, not only to tell the story of one girl Oksun, but to reflect the entire era and oppression of the Japanese colonial rule over the Korean’s. A refreshing new piece of theatre for the UK, with talented performers and detailed direction, from Ji Hye Park. - Holly Kellingray The show promises a neo-noir fever dream, clouds of haze, crumbling walls of transcendent noise, a 120 decibel suicide note; and on these it does not disappoint. From start to finish, the show is one unbearably long hellish nightmare of apocalyptic sound that relentlessly pounds away at your eardrums without restpite. More gig than theatre, Christopher Brett Bailey and his two fellow artists, Alicia Jane Turner and George Percy hammer away, as one can barely call it “playing”, for an hour and a half on lobotomised pianos, two guitars, loop pedals, samplers and a violin. It is like watching three demented teenagers, mid psychotic break, have a frenzied and furious jamming session. It is without structure or narrative.
The entire performance is a manic auditory drawing of some inexplicable desire to watch the world burn. In an audience of what couldn’t have been more than 50 people, I felt an intruder in what was so clearly an artist’s egocentric indulgence in his own creative emotional impulse. The audience seem an unfortunate inconvenience for Bailey. The overtly erotic ASMR style, spoken word makes the audience squirm uncomfortably. We are given earplugs on entry and from the offset the audience are accosted with glaring headlights shone directly into the crowd. This is a production that manages to actively reject its own audience. The Contact Theatre, a charity venue run by young people, seems an inappropriate venue choice for this show, and I think the poor attendance is telling. The show would make far more sense situated in an abandoned warehouse or aircraft hanger, somewhere vast, cold and most definitely unseated. There are rare moments of clarity in the show, even beauty at times from Alice Jane Turner on the violin, but these are swiftly swallowed by the black hole of uncomfortable sound that dominates the vast majority of this show. It is difficult however to really criticise this performance as it so clearly intends to be as obnoxious and offensive as it is. For Bailey the production’s abrasiveness is its greatest strength rather than any sort of shortcoming. And bizarrely I find myself warming to this concept more and more now I’ve left the show. Do we really have to enjoy art for it to be “good”? I think ultimately, I remain unconvinced. The show doesn’t seem to know what or where it is; it has none of the narrative escapism of theatre, or the live atmosphere of a gig, or the freedom of an art show. It is awkward, unpleasant and very, very loud. There were five walkouts, a shocking statistic for such a small audience, and a very weak smattering of confused applause when the evening finally came to an end. “This is a hell dream” were the words chanted again and again, amplified out like some sort of satanic ritual; I suppose we can’t say we weren’t warned. - Oscar Lister Cabaret is a vibrant and moving musical which transports us to Berlin on the cusp of World War 2; however, many of the performances in this cast fail to invoke any real emotion. The production itself is a very high standard, and wonderfully directed by Rufus Norris of the National Theatre, but unfortunately there is a clear disconnection and detachment between the lead cast members. Despite this, Will Young shines through in his portrayal of The Master of Ceremonies, his attention to detail does not go amiss and he perfectly embodies the nature of an ultimate showman – a dazzling, weird and wonderful performance (in the best possible way)! The ensemble is also a delight to watch, perfectly choreographed by Olivier Award winner Javier de Frutos. Every ‘Kit Kat Club’ performance is mesmerising and the energy levels are exhilarating, skillfully captivating the vibe of 1930’s Berlin. Louise Redknapp and Matt Rawle, despite singing beautifully, are missing a depth of connection to their characters Sally Bowels and Cliff. Pleasant performances are executed well from a technical point of view, but there is a lack of energy at points and there is a struggle to maintain the German accent from other leading cast members. This show breeds the question – does star casting work? We have two interesting examples here: On one hand, Will Young provides a stellar performance; his characterisation morphs him into a completely different person, bold and unwavering as he commands the attention of the audience every moment he’s on stage. On the other, Louise Redknapp gives a charming performance, yet instead of feeling like I’m watching Sally Bowels, I am oddly aware that I am just watching Redknapp sing and strut around the stage, which may very well be the intention of the company. This lively musical is a real crowd-pleaser, and regardless of certain flaws, this show certainly transports the audience to the hedonistic night scene of 1930’s Berlin! - Anna Jobarteh Time Won't Wait presents Glue, a one woman show based on Louise Wallwein's life in foster care. With questions left unanswered and a constant searching for clues, Wallwein discusses the aftermath of being a child in care and the effect it has on the relationships with her friends, her family and herself. Written by Wallwein, the piece provides bursts of intricate, metaphorical text, softly accompanied by musician Jaydev Mistry. Mistry delivers well crafted nostalgic sounds that combine smoothly with the piece. Despite moments of well formed poetry, the piece is delivered in a laboured and dramatic manner, with the text being paired with literal physical actions giving the piece an all together old fashioned feel. Directed by Susan Roberts, the multi-rolling is half-baked with not-quite-there accents, predictable characterisations and no real sense of a physical presence from any of the characters.
Wallwein recalls go-go dancing in a nightclub, which momentarily wakes the audience with feel good music, funky dancing and pink disco lights, however we swiftly slip back into the plodding pace of Wallwain's storytelling. The poet surprisingly finds her words directly from a script placed on stage, rather than having learnt the words from memory. The piece comes from a heartfelt place, and I desperately want to connect with the dark themes of hardship and displacement, yet I can't help but feel the story shouts "Poor me!" a little too loud. Wallwein states, "There is no happy ending", and unfortunately the statement rings true for this piece. - Faye Butler A Streetcar Named Desire is another one of Tennessee Williams audacious works (along side plays such as The Glass Menagerie and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof) but this production falls very short of audacious, well for a modern audience anyway. The diverse cast helps to underpin the issues of class and racial tensions still present in 21st Century society and as ever it highlights the problems with the lack of support for women who are victims of sexual assault, both back then and today. But in the small two bedroom apartment, strewn with beer bottles and 1940’s dresses there was just not a strong enough connection to a modern audience to make us actually care about the characters circumstances at all! This is domestic melodrama which works when it is highly sweaty, muscular and emotional. But this production is not ground-breaking, nor does it take an exciting spin on the text. It does it’s job, which is the minimum you can ask from professional theatre. The cast is the saving grace of this show. Gina Issac as the infamousBlanche DuBois gives a sickening performance in such a way that although I may, as a young woman, not relate to the cause of her pain I can very much relate to the affects of it. Especially as she stumbles blind drunk through the tiny flat attempting to keep her composure as an excited Stanley Kowalski (Joseph Black) toasts to the birth of his soon to be born child. Her fragile state is all too tangible as she steadies herself on her hands and knees whilst desperately trying to telephone her forgotten college boyfriend. Our hearts are melted on more than one occasion by the loveable oaf that is Harold ‘Mitch’ Mitchell portrayed so perfectly byKazeem Tosin Amore. Some of the cast members play fast and loose with the Southern Accent which becomes cumbersome to listen to after a while but all in all a stellar performance from the whole cast. A special mention goes out to Billy Mack in the role of Steve Hubbel who’s cheeky antics had the audience tittering plenty. It is understandable that this play is still taught in schools (evidenced by the six or seven school groups who were present in the theatre) as it is a phenomenal text. But is this kitchen sink drama really what the industry is crying out for? Are we not advancing towards new writing, writing which reflects our immediate surroundings and strives to make art which is beneficial to a modern society? A Streetcar Named Desire is not the most resonant or relevant choice to make, and as much as I can appreciate the work which has gone into this production, I cannot stave off the feeling of boredom I get from eating the same cake over and over again, but just with different coloured icing. It tastes the same, it looks the same, it feels the same. - Lucy Newbery Enter a joyous dream-like world, unlike anything you have seen before. A world in which a cobweb envelops the audience and one tiny piece of paper begins a heart-stopping blizzard of snow... We have two pairs of tickets for the multi-award winning international sensation Slava's Snowshow returns to the UK this autumn touring to The Lowry, Salford from Tue 24 - Sun 29 October. The Snowshow is produced by Matthew Gale and Mark Goucher. All you have to do is head over to our Twitter and RT our pinned tweet! A combination of theatrical clowning and stunning visual spectacle, Slava's Snowshow is performed by a world-renowned company of clowns led by Slava Polunin, Artistic Director of the St Petersburg Circus. Slava's Snowshow is the internationally acclaimed winner of the Time Out, Olivier and Drama Desk awards for most unique theatrical experience. It had its UK premiere at the Edinburgh Festival in 1994, and has since toured all over the country, delighting audiences of all ages and winning an Olivier Award for Best Entertainment during its run at the Old Vic in 1998. The show’s popularity overseas has seen it performed in 80 cities around the globe including New York, Los Angeles, Paris, Rome, Hong Kong, Rio de Janeiro and Moscow. Slava Polunin recently visited the UK to launch his new book Alchemy of Snowness. The publication explores Slava’s role as an artist, a creator, a performer, and of his Snowshow, the theatre spectacle that has entertained, enchanted and touched audiences worldwide. The book traces Slava’s artistic journey and exhilarating exploration in his creation of “a show that would bring us back to our childhood dreams; a show which would help spectators be released from the jail of adulthood and rediscover their forgotten childhood”. With 27 stunning illustrations throughout by artist Quint Buchholz punctuating Slava’s poetic storytelling this book is a must-read for anyone intrigued by the creative process and for those longing for a little magic in their lives. Influenced by artists such as Chaplin, Marcel Marceau and Engibarov, Slava and his company have taken clowning out of the world of circus, and brought it to theatre lovers, fellow practitioners and families worldwide. Listings Information Slava's Snowshow Dates: Tue 24 - Sun 29 October Times: 7pm. Wed, Thu, Sat & Sun at 2pm. Tickets: £13.50 - £41.50 (inclu booking fee) SLAVA, THE MAN BEHIND THE SNOWSHOW By Phil Penfold. Slava Polunin: Russian Master Clown legend, founder of the Academy of Fools and creator of the famed Slava’s Snowshow - the world’s most inspired and inspiring spectacle, now celebrating 15 years on the stage. Slava’s Snowshow is a universal and timeless theatrical classic delighting and touching audiences in over 30 countries and 120 cities with more than 4000 performances seen by over 3 million spectators. In New York, Snowshow has beaten off-Broadway records with over 1000 performances at the Union Square Theatre. Paris, London, Rio de Janeiro, Osaka, Montreal, Rome, Madrid, Hong Kong, Moscow, Los Angeles, Sao Paulo, Seoul, Shanghai and Berlin are just a handful of the capitals the show has taken by storm over and over again. It is a show unlike anything you have ever seen before – a world of wonder, in which a bed becomes a boat, a web of cotton envelops the audience and one tiny piece of paper becomes a snowstorm that will, quite literally …. BLOW YOU AWAY. Slava’s Snowshow is a stunning spectacle of beautifully crafted theatrical clowning, combining the unbridled silliness of slapstick with visual extravagance and beauty, all of which has established SLAVA as a creative genius of international acclaim. This incredible show is soon returning to the UK for the 9th time, and we were lucky enough to meet Slava in his extraordinary home just outside Paris. A burly man of medium height, bearded, with twinkling eyes and a mane of long grey hair, comes bouncing along a pebbled lane to greet you. He’s very nimble on his feet, and is wearing ochre-yellow sweat pants and a vest of the same colour. The sturdy flip-flops are a more vibrant yellow (his colour of choice). He looks as if he’s got boundless energy – and he has. He extends an arm and points at some carved gates about 20 metres away, and quietly, rather mystically, they swing open to reveal the Moulin Jaune. “Beware, dreams come true”, warns the sign at the door. You truly are entering a magic domain. It’s a bit ironic that, about fifteen minutes drive in the opposite direction you will hit the ersatz flim-flam of Disneyland Paris, where the imagination of visitors will be channelled and manipulated by one of the world’s largest entertainment corporations. In Slava’s world, however, all he asks is that your imagination runs free and unfettered, and that you abandon all conformity at the doors of his home, and also of the theatres and venues where he performs all over the world. A simple enough request in itself, which has turned Slava into one of the most celebrated, talked-about and in-demand clowns in the world. But if the word “clown” summons up the idea of a guy with big shoes and baggy pants, with a red-painted ping-pong ball glued on his nose, then think again. Slava is no ordinary clown. He turns the world upside down. He has been called “anarchic” and also “a genius”. Slava looks at life not through a static mirror held at an angle, but through a rotating prism. Slava Polunin was born in the USSR 56 years go, in a small village of 3000 or so inhabitants near the community of Orel. Neither of his parents, he says, were entertainers; although in later years his mother told him that his dad was quite musical. Toys were scarce, and young Slava made his own entertainments, using his fertile imagination, making up stories, relying on folklore, and running free in the local woods. He became expert at building tree houses, and put on shows for his friends. Hardly surprising, then, that when he was packed off “as a fairly bright kid”, to study engineering in Leningrad, he shortly thereafter joined a mime troupe instead. Even at the age of 17, he had decided that his mission was to rediscover what true clowns and comics did, and what gift and talents they had that could make people laugh. And cry. Slava’s unique home, The Moulin Jaune, is a wonderful reflection of his stage performance. When you arrive, you get an energetic tour. Picture a converted and extended 12th century mill house on the banks of the River Marne, a tributary of the larger Seine. There’s also a smaller house in the five hectares of grounds, all of which are connected by a sophisticated sound system of microphones and hidden speakers to a control desk in the central performance area within the house. If Slava and his team want to listen to the rushing of the water over the weir in one of the rooms, they just flick a switch, and it’s there. If they want to listen to the rustle of the trees as they create their props and scenery and costumes, then that is possible too. There’s a state of the art performance space as well, which is replicated to the exact proportions of the stage on which he appears in theatres. At the Moulin Jaune, Slava’s surreal laboratory and playground, nothing is left untouched and everything is an interactive dialogue between art and nature: kaleidoscopic five seasons gardens, book trees, walls to walk through, flower beds to sleep in, a giant egg house for chickens, a river that flows backwards, galaxies and giants living in trees, keys for nowhere, a star observatory, fairytale bedrooms, a caravan paradise, a red walkway on the Milky Way, a Korean temple for sunset fishing ceremonies, a capsized ship’s canteen, floating moons that sing, horses with pink wings… There’s one guest room, which is themed to Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite, where all the furniture and fittings are seen through the eyes of a child in an adult world. Another room features the Arabian Nights, and another a bridal suite that takes your breath away with its romantic simplicity. He’s developing another which will make you believe that you are within the tendrils of Jack’s Beanstalk, and there’s yet another in which everything is in pale blue and white – a Babushka room for your favourite Grandmother. Slava’s home is an explosion of the imaginative, the inventive and the surreal. And you cannot forget the outdoor ‘room’, which is a huge table and chairs and a stone heater, nestled under the branches of an ancient willow overhanging the river, where Slava and his friends and colleagues gather on summer evenings to talk, create and let their imaginations take flight in creative thoughts. “I collect joyful people around me”, he says – and it’s easy to see how he does it. It is within this vast and playful environment that foolish encounters and experiments of all types (workshops, festivals, rehearsals and contemplative activities) give birth to even more foolish projects. For these, the company make good use of the fabric & costume treasures, technical and storage spaces, the infinitely wide collection of books and films, an equipped theatre, artist residences, outdoor stages, wood and other such workshops and of course steaming kitchens for hungry fools. Foolishness and playfulness, an end to itself. So why France, Slava, and why here? He reveals with a smile that he and his wife Elena searched for many years for a special spot that was near to water, had land and trees and was near to some hills. They lived for several months at a time in or near seven cities – Barcelona, London, Berlin and Amsterdam among them – and systematically looked for that special place. Villiers, France, hit the bull’s-eye, and Slava was further interested to learn that many of France’s most celebrated painters (among them Corot and Toulouse-Lautrec) found the little village and its surroundings inspirational as well. Slava and his wife believe that the kitchen is the heart of the home, and in theirs there is a long oblong table with more than a dozen seats around it. There’s no TV in the corner, but a screen on which classics of the comic cinema are occasionally played. There’s the cooking area, a relaxation and reflection space, and a lot more besides. And, to make it even more magical, a proper tree, centuries of years old, grows right through it and up toward the ceiling. It’s on the first floor, and the wood-floored terrace of the balcony overlooks the river where there are ducks diving for their dinner. Did he always feel that he had to be a clown, you ask? No, he says, he thinks that it “just grew” within him. “I always wanted to be a journalist as well. A gardener or forester. An engineer. A librarian. And now I feel that – with this house and ground, constructing and creating things, and also writing my book (which I’m currently finishing), I’m actually achieving a bit of all of those ambitions. I won’t have enough time in my life to get it all done – does anyone? – but the important thing is to keep on doing it. As well as you can!” He says, “My work cannot really be called clowning, for my main objective is to break down borders and restrictions. But a clown is really like a child – we have immediacy and a freedom, as children do. It is impossible for a child to sit still for more than five minutes, and, like clowns they always demand to be the centre of attention. Think of five children – or five clowns – in the middle of a room? Phew! Impossible! But, like children, we also want to be loved. But I am extremely blessed, because I am happy, and joyous, and also extremely lucky!” And, it has to be said, that Slava is also extremely well-loved. By the family members and performance team he nurtures, his crew who make the props and man the sound and lighting desk, and by his friends and pupils who come to learn from this master of his craft from just about every country in the world. He raises his eyebrows at the word ‘pupil’. “No-one ever knows that I am teaching them” he insists quietly, “I never, ever say ‘do this, or do that’. I look at what they have to offer and what they do, and I suggest that maybe they could develop that little bit there, or that fragment here…and they go away and work on it and the fragment becomes something more polished, perhaps more substantial and developed. Rehearsals and classes are forbidden here. Everything happens completely organically!” Slava has around sixty people in various parts of the world that he calls on to join him when puts a show together – they come from places as far apart as Brazil and Israel, and when he recently held auditions in his native Russia, one thousand would-be performers turned up to work with him. From that thousand, he selected twenty to go with him on a river voyage to discover and hone their skills. Of the twenty, he picked two. Only one of the two now is a full-time clown in Slava’s tradition. He also tells the wonderful story of his work with the famed Cirque Du Soliel. Slava had been part of their company (at their invitation) for a year and a half, and wanted to go back to doing things his way again. “I admire what they do so very much, and they are friends”, he explains, “but you have an idea with the Cirque, and it takes three years to get it together. You have an idea around the kitchen table here, and you could be doing it tomorrow, and putting it into the new production next week. It’s just….the scale of things.” “Anyway, I told the Cirque that I wished to leave, and they said ‘Fine, Slava, as long as you find a great replacement for us’…and I promised that I would. We were in New York, and I walked out of that meeting very amicably, and I hailed a cab. And the driver of the cab was working in the US, but was one of Russia’s greatest classically-trained actors, whom I knew very well. What a co-incidence. And he said ‘What are you doing here, Slava?’ and I told him, and of my search for a replacement. He said ‘I have always wanted to be a clown! Can you teach me?’ I said ‘I don’t teach, but I can give you some guidance’, and in those three days, I did. He was fantastic. In three days he had taken over from me at the Cirque. He is still there – and a VERY happy man!” His mission, he thinks, is “to get the audience to open up, and to be a lot more creative within themselves. But I know from experience that what makes them hysterical in Britain will get a completely different reaction in Tokyo. They will see different interpretations of what I do.” He has an extensive library of DVDs and videos of many of the great comics, mimes and clowns, a large proportion of them from silent films. He adores Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin, and champions the almost-forgotten Harry Langdon. “You see, silent film transcends the boundaries”, he says, “You didn’t have to crack a verbal gag. You saw what those people were going through. Why is Langdon obscured by the others now? Possibly because he never used huge action sequences. He was a more intimate performer.” Then Slava reels off British performers that he admires, among them Tommy Cooper and Max Wall “both great visualists”, and, to a lesser extent “Norman Wisdom and Benny Hill. I love Monty Python, too – they were a great intellectual team, never mind about the humour!” He is admired by acclaimed surrealist film director Terry Gilliam, who has been a guest in Slava’s house by the river, “we roared with laughter all night”, he says, and then adds that they to have made a documentary together, Diabolo, about the work of a clown. “I think that it will look good”, he says modestly. He and Elena have three grown up children, all of who have the Slava entertainment genes. Ivan is an artist and designer, Pavel is a musician, and Dimitri is a technical director of some skill, and the father to their first grandchild, Mia. “I always wanted a daughter, always,” says Elena with a smile. Slava says thoughtfully: “Everyone in this world has creativity and talent – it’s just a question of bringing it out. To open the door. You should use your natural physical being. I work without any spoken language, and so could you!” He seems, I say, to be the Prospero of his own enchanted space. “Creating magic, creating illusion, is fun”, he says. But it must be wonderful to be able to make so many people laugh, and to enable them to forget their problems for a while? “Oh yes, that’s the best thing of all”, he agrees. “The last time I was in the UK, I played in Glasgow for a few weeks, and I met a very well-known doctor, a consultant, up there, who told me that he’d been to see the show, and how much he’d enjoyed it. I thanked him a lot. And then he said that he dealt with people who suffered from severe depression. He said ‘In the last few weeks, I’ve not been writing prescriptions for tablets, I’ve been telling them ‘Go see Slava – if that doesn’t make you forget your problems, nothing will!’ Wasn’t that a wonderful thing to say?” Slava gets into his people carrier, and we drive to the station. He gives a huge bear hug to say farewell. “After all, I am still a Russian”, he laughs. Well, he can believe that. But Slava is really something else – a true internationalist of entertainment. SLAVA QUOTES “It’s interesting that about 25 to 30 per cent of the shows that the audiences will see will be improvised, right there on the spot. For example – someone will come on stage, and they won’t enter at the right place, maybe somewhere else. And that will be a spontaneous decision, and you’ve got to then work out how to react to that, how to deal with it, how to turn it into something fresh and new. You wonder: how will your partner cope? It’s like throwing a ball at a different angle and speed – you British, with your love of cricket, should know about that!” “We’ve always got a mound of props, offstage, all sorts of things. And maybe we’ll just grab one, return to the stage with it, and use it as part of the invention, the entertainment. We all work very instinctively”. A lot of the objects in Slava’s home and workshops, and which he uses in his performances, he’s either found as he wanders around the local countryside, “Or I’ve discovered them in car boot sales or in little junk shops. The ‘rubbish’ discarded by someone else is often my precious gem!” “But don’t believe that all the routines come fully-developed over night. Some do – they arrive, and I use them. Others are ideas that maybe gestate over ten years. I have a stack of files at my home, full of thoughts that could possibly be something useable one day…” There are 40 kilometres of wired cables connecting sound and lighting systems at Slava’s home, and his performance area, where-ever he is in the world, is precise – eight metres by five. “It means that if it is any larger and I have to take one step more, the pace of the routine is thrown out. Similarly if it is one step less. If you change the dimensions of the stage, then it all changes! And when I rehearse, I have to have someone watching – there is space in my home theatre for a maximum audience of fifteen people. But it doesn’t matter if there are fifteen – or one. I have to have an audience. Without an audience a clown is nothing – and if there’s an audience and no clown, what is the point in that?” He says: “I am a dynamic person – I like to get things done. Yes, I am also a dreamer – but I do live in the here and now. “And I can turn my hand to most things. I will always TRY something. Except one skill – I am NOT a cook. That I CANNOT do. But then, married for over a quarter of a century to a wonderful cook like Elena, it’s not something that I have to worry about that much!" People, Places & Things is a gripping and intense piece from the get go. Jeremy Herrin directs an intoxicating piece that exhilarates and stimulates, with an intoxicating sense of freedom, as boundaries are pushed and themes of addiction are explored. The story captures real society and real people. Leading lady, Emma played by Lisa Dwyer Hogg is exceptional, conveying an abundance of emotions that leave the spectator lost in her world. What seems to be a proscenium arch stage soon turns into a mirror effect, with the play unfolding whilst we watch from two sides. We lose ourselves for a moment, wondering if it is our reflection, part of the play, or more spectators about to embark on this unpredictable and intense experience. The minimalist set leaves room for the interpretation and imagination, with a clinical white highlighted throughout. Large props come and go, helping to set the scene, but still the undertone of a medical institution is felt. There is a realistic approach in regards to the acting style and a script filled with chaos and madness ensures it is a dramatic spectacular on stage. Not only is the play highly visual, but sensory. Reflected in the phenomenal artistic choices with lighting and sound, we tantalisingly see, feel and hear Emma’s world and experience some of the emotions, the highs and the lows that addiction can do. The piece provides a chilling realisation that addiction is present in the here and now and feel fascinatingly intrusive as the highly emotional and complex relationships are played out; morbid captivation kicks in and we have adrenaline for more. We are made aware that here in the theatre the dialogue will end, the story will finish and there will be an applause, but there is an eerie and eye opening realisation that out in the real world someone's addiction is only just beginning. We take characters in the play for granted to later find out they have died, which very much feels like a reflection of people and life today in the 21st century. The ending of the play is compelling, questioning the entire play. Did we really just go on Emma’s journey? Are we now moving on to someone else? Or is this a play within a play? Did we just watch an Actor play the part of an Actor who was an addict or an Actor just telling a story? A powerful ending, that begs the question, if living in a make believe world is easier and better for some than real life, how can one ever get back to reality? - Rebecca Phillipson Angus Jackson’s production of Coriolanus provides a social commentary on the clash against the hooded lower classes and suited upper’s. There is a conflict of styles which at times jars, however these are stitched together with strong performances from the core cast to help carry the deeply political struggle. The production opens with a lengthy fork lift routine moving bags of food away from the hungry plebeians. The on rushing ensemble outrage at the situation that has befallen them and call for change. Famine, unrest and insurrection boil precariously among the lower class Plebeians. So sets the plays tragic conflict ‘the people’ against those who’s job it is to protect them. Enter Gaius Marcius, the legendary protector of Rome, drunk with arrogance and wealth played by a stoic Sope Dirisu. Bedaubed in a sharp dinner suit surrounded by his closest allies and family paints a picture of privilege, reinforcing the class divide that Jackson leans on heavily. A welcome break in the discussions that dominate the first half is the battle between the Volscian and Roman armies led, respectively by Dirisu as Marcius and Tullus Aufidius played by James Corrigan. The battle showcases some impressive sword skills from the core ensemble and some herculean moments for Gaius Marcius, soaked in blood and donning two swords fulfilling the ‘one man army’ part. However the delivery of his various speeches jar with the progression of the battle. We do not see the effect on Dirisu’s character as his well rehearsed delivery is consistent yet unfortunately monotonous. The battle seems almost single-handedly won by Marcius which results in him being crowned ‘Coriolanus’. He is urged by his mother to pursue a role as Consul, a title and responsibility alien to Marcius’ military lifestyle. The fractious relationship between Coriolanus and The People dominates the remainder of proceedings, this leaves Coriolanus exiled from Rome as he cannot appease his contempt for the people, forcing him to reach out to his sworn enemy Aufidius to help exact his revenge on Rome. Pleading from his mother, young son and wife is a true showcase of all actors involved, especially the moving Haydn Gwynne whom is the driving force in this pivotal scene. With Coriolanus swayed by his closest family, Aufidius is left betrayed viciously strangling Coriolanus as a result. Jackson’s production, although with it’s strong performances does not surprise in any way. There is a difficult monotony throughout with a melancholic string ensemble that halts any progression of pace. - Patrick Riley Sunset Boulevard is the center point in the story of Norma Desmond, the screen goddess of the silent screen era whose blighted comeback results in tragedy. The classic 1950 film from Billy Wilder is transformed into a stage show by Andrew Lloyd Webber, and has been given a crisp flare from Leicester’s very own Nikolai Foster. The musical follows the tragedy of an ageing, volatile celebrity forgotten by her fans and desperately seeking a return to her glory days of fame. She hires an ambitious writer Joe Gillis who is bitter that his chance of success has yet to be successful. It’s a constant seesaw of who is using who? Ria Jones, known for hitting the front pages when she took over the role as Norma when illness forced Glenn Close to pull out of the show temporarily, has become the title role in her own right. She claims the core of this performance in the leading role, owning the show. Her emotive and fulfilling vocal range has her audience enthralled. The silence is almost defining during her rendition of 'As If We Never Said Goodbye'. Supporting such a strong female lead is left to the task of Danny Mac, who plays Joe Gillis. He provides the charm and chiseled features to turn Norma's head, especially when the opportunity to seize her career is available. Norma does provide the centerpiece of the performance, but Joe is the main thread that brings the story together. We are able to see the former Strictly Come Dancing strut his ballroom moves with flare and poise. Amongst the strong company is Adam Pearce as Max, his vocal range is sensational, as well as Molly Lynch as Betty Schaefer, her youthful and optimism to become a young writer leads her astray from her husband to be. She becomes captivated by Joe Gillis' creativity and charm, a wonderful addition to the cast and story. It's also important to address Colin Richmond's design, with his fabulous play in zoom and transitions through the hurried plot. His design accomplishes a great relationship with Ben Cracknell's lighting design as well as a 16-piece orchestra which provides the heart of this gorgeous musical. Such an iconic snapshot in movie history, the UK Tour of Sunset Boulevard is well worth a trip to the theatre and an absolute success of a new musical production. - Emmet-Hope Newitt Felder begins the show by telling us about a letter he received requesting that he perform his piece in Russia in honour of their beloved Tchaikovsky; which he then reveals to us is the most terrifying invitation he has ever received. Why is that, you might ask? Well, this piece is more than just an appreciation of the composers great work, but an intimate insight into the composers friendships and his sexuality, resulting in the pain and suffering which he poured into some of his most famous compositions. Felder takes on the role ofTchaikovsky with great ease and a fantastic Russian accent, guiding us from Tchaikovsky’s early childhood and the premature death of his mother right the way through to his own death at the age of 53, breaking character just once to talk to the audience about the continuing laws and hate crimes which target and put homosexuals in Russia at risk. It is an incredible piece of storytelling theatre which takes you to the soul of the music and makes a strong political statement about how homosexuals are still treated today. Felder makes us laugh on more than one occasion, impersonating the various other musical geniuses Tchaikovsky encountered in his life, and with delicate and warm observations the maestro made in his own life. The entire piece is wound around the music itself and knowing the inspirations behind the music made listening to the compositions played by Felder’s masterful hand spine-tingling. It is a pleasure, nay, a privilege to watch Felder as Actor/Muso enchant his audience with this expertly woven tapestry of emotion and music, and you can see why Felder uses this tried and tested format of performance and story telling time and time again (he has performed as Gershwin and Chopin to name a few). I feel that I now know the true story behind all of his great masterpieces which will forever come to the forefront of my mind, particularly when I listen to his haunting 6th Symphony. If all classical music concerts were performed in this way then perhaps we would all have a deeper appreciation and understanding of the masters of music who came before our Bowies and our GaGa’s. - Lucy Newbery Accompanied by the well tuned Adam Blosse on the upright piano, The Guildford School of Acting graduate, Harry Kit Lee, takes us on a journey through the highs and lows of his life to date. Speaking of his struggle with Bipolar disorder and his tough childhood, Kit Lee tactically weaves 20 legendary songs such as 'as long as he needs me' from Lionel Barts 'Oliver!' to 'Diamonds' by Rihanna, to express a particular points in his life. A delightful second act opens with 'Somewhere' from Bernstein's West Side Story and introduces the gorgeous Jen Bird who's voice strongly pulls at ones heart strings as she takes the lead on somewhere that's green and duets Suddenly Seymour with Kit Lee in a small 'Little Shop of Horrors' set. Harry discussed a song he used to perform in his show, which suggests that he changes material frequently to keep things relevant. Though it seems as if the narrative between songs is scripted, it feels organic and truthful in nature, which is the meaning of the entire piece. When diving into the low points of ones life within the piece, it comes from the heart and takes a huge amount of bravery to get up on a stage and pour ones heart out. The intimacy of the show is most definitely a highlight, and the piecee as a whole has a lot going for it. - Alex Grainger After being royally slapped around the face by their last reviewer for a retelling of Richard II, actors Stu Mcloughlin and Howard Coggins rise from the ashes with a hilariously crude depiction of Henry VIII and his six wives. Like salt and pepper, the pair compliment each other deliciously and not only do they make the audience belly laugh - they clearly make each other laugh too. Howard does have a surprising likeness to Henry VIII. Stu... not so much, although his highly entertaining mutlirolling keeps us teetering on our toes. From Geordie to German, he provides a plethora of marvellously hammy accents. The gents harmonise together with bluesy vocals paired with folky strings, all together forming a pretty damn nice sound. Directed by Craig Edwards, Living Spit provide sketches that involve frequent kisses, blind dates and crappy caravan park Anne of Cleves techno routines, each one funnier than the last. Not only did I giggle once or twice or possibly thrice, the bastards almost bought tears to the eyes during a particularly harsh break up with Anne Boleyn (you know how it ends) using a fake teddy-baby. The pair are hyper aware of the audience, reacting and playing accordingly, whilst I am hyper aware of the young school boys sitting behind me witnessing two grown men cross-dressing, kissing and frolicking and I think to myself, fuck yes! These are the badass, yolo-ing, two fingers up role models that these young boys deserve. These lovable rogues are worthy of a bigger budget and a bigger stage to unleash the ideas from the dark creative crevices of their brains. - Faye Butler In the cosy and creative space of the Spring Arts and Heritage Centre in Havant, three actors tell a simple story in a straightforward manner. The piece follows young adult Tobes, played by energetic and present Dominic Jones, as he faces a close call with cancer. We see how this effects him physically and mentally; giving insight into the stress having a serious illness can have on relationships. Luke Norris' excellent writing also comments on the pressures of masculinity forced upon men, showcasing classic phrases such as 'man up'. Directed by George Perrin, the style of the piece pays homage to Brechtian techniques by introducing the characters and scenes candidly and with a lack of facade. The actors multirole, and although naturalistic and humorous, there is often little distinction between each character. The pace of the piece feels stuck on a quick, and at times monotonous, loop. Despite these factors, the trio are comfortable with one another, with a relaxed and genuine chemistry. Like a cosy Welsh pub on a rainy day, Dafyyd Llyr Thomas endears with a subtle and warm energy. Although there are certain limitations when touring the UK on a small budget - the piece lacks a clear aesthetic, with the only set being unused prop boxes and a 'Growth' sign that lies idle at the back of the stage. The piece could benefit from utilising another unique storytelling device to elevate it to another level. - Faye Butler Our Town, directed by Sarah Frankcom, is a daring piece of theatre by all involved including compelling artistic choices. The audience become almost as committed to the performance as the actors, feeling needed and in many ways relied on. Almost immediately after entering the performance space, the fourth wall is broken and cast and spectator become one, adding a personal approach to the plays narrative. Eight tables give a friendly and welcoming formulation with an undertone of anticipation, although the need to start with the audience on stage has no real purpose. In simpler terms, it is a play within a play, following a bunch of people getting on with their lives. They make decisions, live together as a community, and then they die - that's what people do. It is a snap shot of a time, with themes that we as the spectator can relate to. What stands out for me is the artistic decision to have almost all the actors performing in their own accents. This, alongside setting the play in the 21st century - plants the piece firmly in the here and now. It is a clever, yet simple choice and modernises the play effectively. The three parts of the play are built around Birth, Love and Death. Musical variation breaks up the tense scenes, offering light and shade just at the right moments. Our attention is drawn to the simple details in life, that sometimes we overlook but are marked clearly for our attention within the play. The cast are strong. They speak their dialogue realistically but their movements contrast, touching on physical Theatre. Although, the piece often feels cluttered with everyone becoming one, confusing the characters. Subtly the actors mime props, giving a stronger representation of the objects they are portraying. The minimal use of set is refreshing, spectators use their imagination more to set the scene. The stand out performance comes from the Stage Manager played by Youssef KerKour. He is both daring and warm, with choices that are inventive and earned. He moves the characters, the scene and in fact the whole story throughout the play. He provides direction and narrates the story with humour and passion. If it was not for the narrator the piece might have been highly confusing. I left, pondering on the fact that ‘life is to short. We should live in the moment, appreciating what we have. Because one day it will be gone’. - Rebecca Phillipson Cilla the Musical is a story of romance, family and success and is jam packed with hit songs that make you want to jump out of your seat and dance in the aisles. It reminded me of why I fell in love with the theatre in the first place. This show is nothing short of romantic, as it whisks you into the world of showbiz in the 60’s and into the lives of a group of young Liverpudlian musicians trying to make it big. Not least of course, the life of young and shy Priscilla White (or Cilla Black as she is christened by her manager) and where we first meet her, in the legendary Cavern Club where her story begins. Aside from the understandable opening night technical hiccups (with an apparent attempt to deafen the audience) the cast got this show off to a roaring start; dancing on stage dressed in 60’s attire with the musicians posing as the Beatles (amongst other bands), making us feel like we were at a live music concert, which on occasion is detrimental to the narrative as there is A LOT of music in this show. There are slick set changes and a multitude of flashing lights, which all add to the wow factor of the show, along with Cilla’s array of glittery dresses which are enough to turn any girl green with envy. This show is everything you would expect a musical to be. High energy, fast paced, great music and lots of laughs. There are moments of real tenderness and emotion, with the chemistry between Cilla and Bobby positively bubbling before our very eyes. Kara Lily Hayworth’s performance of Cilla is, in a word, mesmerising. This talented vocalist captivates the entire audience with her soulful, rich voice every time she sings. You can not take your eyes off her. Coupled with the seemingly never ending energy of Carl Au as the ever faithful Bobby, this pair’s delicious chemistry drives the show to its fabulous conclusion as we were dazzled once again by the amazing lighting design and musical score which had the whole audience on their feet (twice!) The standing ovations are a testament to what the actor musicians and creative team have achieved and I cannot wait to see this show again! (Oh yes, I will be making a point of seeing it a second time). - Lucy Newbery They're creepy and they're kooky, mysterious and spooky, they're all together… normal? The Addams Family. Duh-duh-duh-duh *click click*. Andrew Lippa’s musical adaptation is a formulaic but fun-filled frolic focusing on Wednesday, the first daughter of America’s freakiest family, finding love with cookie-cutter conventionalist Lucas, whose ordinariness is disorientating for the rest of the kooky clan when his equally-ordinary family come to dinner. The plot, from Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, is ‘Pulled’ in perhaps one too many directions: the difference between the families, as wide as the Addams’ Central Park plot, provides some predictable but funny fodder. As well as Wednesday and Lucas’s love woes, there’s Morticia's and Gomez’s marital discord once she finds out he’s keeping secrets about their daughter from her, Lucas's seemingly conservative parents needing to rediscover love in their mid-life marriage, Uncle Fester’s loony longing for the moon, and this is all haunted by a host of historically-attired ancestors. The effect is that the plot feels padded rather than planned, and, although believable, because Wednesday and Lucas are already a couple, it feels like a missed opportunity to explore their differences more effectively through their undoubtedly unconventional courtship, rather than a dinner party that’s appropriated by their parents. The family are terrifically creepy and their kinship is a force to be reckoned with: Cameron Blakely is completely batty – in all the best ways – as patriarch Gomez, carrying the action with a ridiculous accent and uncanny comic timing that’s not quite matched by Samantha Womack’s slow-moving Morticia. Carrie Hope Fletcher is a feisty and hopelessly infatuated Wednesday, her performance of ‘Pulled’ punchy and impressive, and her Lucas, Oliver Ormson, is a charming but cautious leading man. Elsewhere, Scott Paige, stepping in for Les Dennis, is superbly absurd as the bald, fourth-wall breaking Uncle Fester. Dickon Gough’s looming, lumbering Lurch delivers most of the visual gags, and Charlotte Page’s smiling, rhyming, yellow-admiring Alice is a marvellous motherly foil in the vein of an Avon lady to the vampy Morticia. Although fun and freakish, Alistair David’s entertaining and tango-tastic choreography, especially in the opening song ‘When You’re An Addams’, Diego Pitarch’s gothic and gloomy designs, and Lippa’s quick, clever, and kooky lyrics can’t disguise that this show is more spunky than spooky, and a little too saccharine in the final act for the Addams’ Family we’re all familiar with. - Leah Tozer Faith and questioning comes to hand in hand in Artemis Fitzalan Howard’s touching piece, Gate, premiering at The Cockpit Theatre. Getting in to heaven is far harder than it might seem for recently deceased Mark (Wil Coban), Rebecca (Eleanor Henderson), Luke (Joe McArdle) and Esther (Katie Sherrard). In the waiting room of Gate E1W, Guardian Angel Eve (Emma Dennis-Edward) guides the recent intake of lost souls through the administration process of purgatory. Dennis-Edward's draws out the comedy in the role of receptionist come after-life facilitator, who loves nothing more than strictly following the book of being the perfect Guardian Angel. Bringing her scenes to life, Dennis-Edward's fires glances across the stage with comic precision. However, poor Eve is up against it - with deadlines to make and targets to hit, our Guardian Angel doesn’t have much time to consider what her faith in the system actually means. A chorus of angels (Luke Ward, Charlotte Christensen, Jack Reitman, Louise Grayford) chant exaltation's marking off each scene. Their rapturous praises are beautiful and add a pleasant through line for the piece. At times the script feels clumsy with jokes that don’t always land and the closing monologues are needlessly lengthy which somewhat negatively weighs down the latter half of the piece. Some plots are loosely unravelled but rarely fully explored, which makes the character’s journeys often seem tepid. Howard opens up the discussion on how Christian faith is often mocked and belittled by outsiders, yet shows us that faith could well be vital in the development of humanity. At the heart of this piece is the underlining question of what power faith and religion have in today’s secular society. - Niall Hunt The Bobolyne Poets, created by Jess Butcher, present their first evening of poems, stories and live music in vibrant arts cafe Junkyard Dogs in aid of the Syrian Refugee Crisis. Solo Matter by Carolyn Bolton opens Mbulelo Ndabeni N’da Dance Company’s first ever evening of work, ‘paying homage to women’, at Rich Mix. Ndabeni is already on stage as the audience walk in, sitting on a grey bench with his back to us, his lithe body covered by a jumper with hood raised. He begins to saw at himself, convulsing his chest and spine, raising his arms behind his back in distorted shapes – a difficult watch. As Solo Matter continues, Ndabeni’s relationship with the bench develops from crouching behind it, head down, arms raised; to sliding beneath it, allowing it to cover him like a cage as he moves across the floor; to tipping the bench on its end and standing directly behind it as a barricade. The mood is tense. I am transported to past stories of friends being stopped and searched unnecessarily at bus stops, of having to do what they’re told despite knowing the injustice of what’s happening. Bolton takes a poignant and complex topic, and articulates the loneliness of those experiences through Ndabeni’s artistry. NaY – Nam and You is a particular highlight of the evening. The all-female Yemalla drummers are exceptional, creating energy through polyrhythms that translate the spirit of their ancestors. Ndabeni’s body is drawn in to respond through curves and pulses of the spine, sweeping legs high with flexed feet scooping energy from the ground, jumping into the air before beating patterns into the earth with his heels. This playful exchange melts away as the Yemalla leave the stage one by one. NaY connects with home away from home, living and tracing Ndabeni’s roots and relationships with his elders. The atmosphere shifts as he prowls downstage and begins to cover his face and hands in white paint. From here on, we see the skill of Ndabeni’s body; from grounded Africanist aesthetic articulating each joint in isolation, building rhythms on rhythms; to contemporary/ballet movement language with tilts and precise lines. The conflicting styles work together and create surprise when one interrupts the other. In this way, Ndabeni builds to a frenetic energy - until a Yemalla drummer returns to the stage. Holding a large bowl, and without words or sound, she calls him to her, gently washing his skin, watching the paint fade away as he buries his face in her skirt. In this moment, I was brought to tears. The final piece iBali is a duet between Ndabeni and Yinka Esi Graves, a British flamenco dancer, which examines transformation of identity looking ahead to the future. The programme also includes performances by Artistry Youth Dance aged 14-19 years; as well as the incredible AkomaAsa drummers aged 6-16 years, with whom Ndabeni works with through his varied education programmes. Ndabeni is unique in his mastery of both balletic and Africanist movement language and is by far the most mesmerising contemporary performer I have seen this year. Though he is perhaps early on in his choreographic journey, with a few tweaks to be made I would expect his work will soon be on larger stages - sharing a much-needed alternative narrative to Eurocentric practices. - Emily Labhart In a dystopian era and taking the form of a sewer, unfolds the brutally honest and triggering perceptions of societal expectations we burden and limit ourselves with. In Gecko Theatre’s The Wedding, we are exposed to the realisation and reality of all being lawfully wedded to social constructs, and obliviously accepting this as the quintessential way of living, without query. The physical ensemble of storytellers individually transition on a one-way journey into this insufferable world, which we only ever see as “the norm”, through a sewage pipe that closely resembles a slide of a child’s indoor play area into a pit of neglected teddy bears: a depiction of our innocence and naivety being forgotten about and left behind once passing through to what appears to be an interminable stage of our lives. Initially, this process intoxicates each character with hysterical exhilaration and childish wonder as they pass through, but very quickly becomes a sobering and anticlimactic experience when faced with the truth of this inevitable change. The iconography of the wedding dress acts as a symbol of being contractually bound to unconditional obligations, and once worn, confirms the bind to exciting but equally terrifying endeavours. In relation to the conceptual metaphor of the wedding dress being a suffocating and restricting agreement, this dystopian world was driven entirely by a corporate lifestyle of tediously obsessing over figures and the incessancy of treating even the most wonderful occurrences in life as a self-centered business. Gecko once again prove why they are renowned for their undeniably captivating style of physical theatre, with their ability to completely reinvent their audience’s judgements on thought provoking topics such as this by broadening our minds with their eclectic approach to telling stories we originally think we’ve already heard time and time again. Despite what we are conditioned to believe, Gecko haven’t let us forget that it’s never too late to get a ‘divorce’. – Jade Dillon The Musical Theatre Academy intoxicates a well received audience with a unique original musical based on the true story of the suffragette movement in the early 1900's, specifically focusing on the family who were at the radical heart of the long campaign to win women the right to vote; the Pankhurst's, who, completely devoted to this historic cause and inspired thousands of women to follow them, are demonised by the press and torn apart as a family in the process. Written by Nick Stimson and Annemarie Lewis Thomson, who is also the principle of The MTA, this piece is one of 6 collaborations the pair have accomplished. Dangerous Daughters has been revived with a vengeance after several years of workshops and development. The MTA being a relatively new academy, opening in 2009, offers the UK's first accelerated learning programme for musical theatre performers, who's staff continue to work professionally in theatre, ensure that the students are taught the skill and discipline needed for today's industry. It is hard to pick one or two outstanding members of this young cast, as the entire company are as strong as each other - one unit, whether ensemble or a lead character. Dare I say, the power that this cast have and the historic content of the show reminded me of the first time I saw the legendary Les Miserables. Georgia Young, Katy Southgate and Alex Mellors play the three Pankhurst sisters Christabel, Sylvia and Adela who all had their own political and social vision. With irreplaceable support from Lydia Gardiner who masters the role of their mother Emmeline, who, in 1999 was named one of the most important people of the 20th century in Time magazine. The wonderful Laura Kent, who portrays Manchester born Annie Kenney and one of the leaders of the suffragette movement, expresses Elements of comedy whilst contrasting this with solo songs of real intent and sorrow. Racky Plews' direction is smooth, with scene changes as slick as 'the Fonze', and Plews even had the audacity to use the same pieces of set in each scene yet we are still transported into different locations each scene without question. The choreography, also by Plews, though simplistic, is all that is needed and to the point; one hardly expects a mass tap dance to burst out with top hats and tails during a suffragette movement - history may have been slightly different if that was the case! Alas, I digress; it's the sort of show I would expect to see from an MT school, but the way it all pieced together is astounding. Flawless lighting on cue adds the icing to the cake and a 6 piece band led by the principle makes this truly a professional west end standard production. The MTA are a force to be reckoned with, I wouldn't want to miss out on a chance to see the stars of tomorrow an at incredibly affordable price. - Alex Grainger Emma Rice’s tenure at Shakespeare's Globe has brought some truly unique productions to this historic stage; Boudica is no less than it’s predecessors delivering this epic tale of the Iceni warrior Queen’s quest for vengeance. Tristan Bernays’ writing married with Eleanor Rodes direction depicts an England ruled by the enveloping Roman Empire. Boudica, rightful owner of the land, seeks to reclaim what was promised to her family upon her late husbands death. Boudica is betrayed by the conniving Roman imperial Catus, who orders her daughters Blodwyne and Alonna to be raped and the queen whipped for her defiance. The defiling of her family and land sets the Queen on her path of vengeance against those whom wronged her. The tone is similar to that of George R. Martins a Game of Thrones with Boudica calling on her native allies, King Badvoc and Cunobeline, to fight with her against the foreign invaders. All the while, the action is driven by a tense drum beat underpinning an inevitable call to arms. Before the end of the first act, when the stalwart Gina Mckee as Boudica looks to the audience to join her in the fight, the gravity of their situation palpably draws us into battle. The antithesis of the looming battle against the clash of morals between the sisters makes for a scintillating first half that almost arouses an ovation from the crowd. Such was the magnetism of the actors with all characters neatly fleshed out. Bernays’ text ambitiously plays homage to the iambic rhythm of Shakespeare’s verse while interspersed with coarse juvenile exchanges between the bemoaning Roman guards, with adequate room for more than one ‘mine’s bigger than yours’ pun. At times the language feels uncomfortable, when Boudica so earnest and poetic would jump to calling her compatriots ‘useless pieces of shit’ which doesn’t always land successfully. However, in an ultimately tragic story where not many come out alive, no characters death went without a fleeting moments mourning, before the drums sounds again and the play races on. The battles between the Queens heir’s Alonna and Blodwynne played by Natalie Simpson and Joan Iyiola beautifully highlight the facing of opposing morals. Blodwynne is forced to question the true nature of her violent tendencies by her sister, which is delicately played by Simpson, who cannot empathise with the immigrants she deems responsible for her misfortune. This lack of empathy resonates with today's climate with chimes of Brexit’s controversy rung throughout. There is a stellar support for Mckee, who exudes a haunting grit as Queen Boudica. The imposing Belgic King Badvoc played by Abraham Popoola and his almost complete physical opposite Samuel Collings playing a slithering Catus Deciamus, shine in their respective roles. Boudica is a production that’s ambition is not wholly met with the precision required to make it a true classic, yet does entertain expertly and gives a shining display of the strength and tenacity within women, in which theatre can never have too much of. - Patrick Riley There are many 'Rules for Living'. Most are self-contained and unspoken. Nevertheless, what better a time than Christmas to elucidate these rules? After it’s critically acclaimed run at the National Theatre in 2015, Rules for Living is back with a bang for a co-production with English Touring Theatre and Rose Theatre Kingston. With Christmas looming, Lily Arnold’s design of a recognisable family home on Christmas day certainly triggers my excitement for the festive season. Simon Godwin’s naturalistic direction is so relatable that one can't help but smile along to such typical events and family feuds at Christmas. For some, Christmas might be a time to consolidate with others, which seems to be the case for brother’s Matthew and Adam who are quite the opposite. The piece begins with the group gathering and preparing for the day ahead whilst waiting upon the arrival of their father, Francis. We are humoured with classic, bogus family chat. The recognisable phrase “never mind me, what about you?” reoccurs throughout, highlighting typical English courtesy that is often undoubtedly manufactured. Sam Holcroft conspires against these normative conventions. Matthew welcomes his spirited girlfriend Carrie for Christmas whilst Adam is obliged to manage his soon to be ex-wife Nicole and their daughter Emma, who is suffering from psychological issues - it's safe to say tensions within the family is apparent. As Holcroft slots in one rule at a time they are presented to us, as Brecht would propose, through clear projection ‘cards’ above the house. For instance, “Matthew must sit to tell a lie” - rules that would seem straightforward and obvious manage to amuse every time Jolyon Coy sits down. As the rules intensify, so does the Christmas chaos. One could question the reason for the rules. Is Holcroft suggesting we need to address these rules in authentic life settings? The performances are a pleasure to watch, with Carlyss Peer as Carrie, fantastically and awkwardly struggling to fit in with the family. Peer clumsily charms her way through the family quarrels, ending with a hysterical yet heart-breaking routine when Matthew declares his love for another. Jolyon Coy as Matthew is frustratingly excellent to watch as the character deepens himself in lies. Laura Rogers as Nicole, is described as ‘intense’ and is most certainly that, particularly when she makes a ferocious stand to be the one to carve the turkey. Jane Booker as Edith, the frantic, military-like mother is spot on, handing out specific tasks to the next generation from her timely experience. Ed Hughs as Adam is unquestionably the winner of his rule; his over familiar accents, characters and expressions were performed exceptionally. Francis, played by Paul Shelley is almost silent throughout, yet brutally comical in his small but prominent actions. Emma, played by Siena Rista, enters confidently yet innocently as she expresses the understanding of her illness, which leaves the adults looking self-indulgent and egoistic. Is this Holcroft’s message? The overstated fight seems almost unnecessary amongst such clever direction and writing, but we are still left wanting more of Holcroft’s intelligent comedy and questioning what Rules for Living we abide by in our own lives. Rules for Living is a must-see show as the festive season approaches upon us. - Holly Kellingray What could be a two hour long lecture about the history of immigration politics in Britain turned out to be, at most an empathetic approach to those struggling to find or to protect their identity in the rapidly changing face of Britain; Or at least an informative history lesson about the multi-cultural heritage of today's Britain. What Shadows which premiered at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre in 2016 comes to The Lyceum in a reeling Post-Brexit Britain where the topics of immigration and racism are as poignant today as they were when Powell made his ‘Rivers of Blood’ speech. Ian McDairmid is almost unrecognisable as the contumacious Enoch Powell. His meticulous performance shines throughout the show, from the harsh nasal cadence’s of his voice, to the tremors in the old mans hands, McDairmid breathes life into this fierce and opinionated politician at the height of his career and at its demise. Accompanied by a diverse cast who act with humour and compassion, they bring the lives of the residents of a street in Wolverhampton to the forefront of the argument on immigration. Real people battling issues of identity, cultural heritage, immigration and racism in what could have potentially been a political word battle are expertly personified in Chris Hannan’s intellectually stimulating work. Hannan’s fiercely objective text rationalises the political stance of each character involved (without the filtration of various press outlets) through their backgrounds, thoughts and motivations and allows the audience to go on this journey of objectivity, but to a fault. In the absence of one hammered home political statement or an asking of the audience to choose a side, clarity of opinion was lost and raised more questions than it answered when it came to its conclusion in narrative. Though leaving me frustrated, I suppose it leaves us open to continue our search (much as Rose Cruikshank is) into our own opinions of our current cultural identity in Britain. But the play is not entirely about Enoch Powell. Successful and argumentative Rose Cruickshank (Amelia Donkor) who is a young, black oxford academic provides the catalyst for the discussions of racism and the effect the ‘Rivers of Blood’ speech had on the young immigrants of Britain. However Donkor’s performance feels a little one dimensional and almost too theatrical when pushed up against the natural ease and subtle nuances which the majority of the rest of the cast effortlessly express. Designer (Ti Green) and Video Designer (Louis Price) do a terrific job transporting us from Scottish Shores to a B&B in Wolverhampton using little more than projection and lighting to achieve this. It warms up a potentially cold set to reflect different seasons and locations as we are gently transported around the English Landscape which is referred to time and time again in the script. Despite feeling like many of my new questions have gone unanswered my interest and sympathy of the subject has spiked! I would encourage anyone of any background to go an see this play. - Lucy Newbery |